The game of darts is played throughout the U.S. and the world by young and old. This game can be competitive or simply a leisure time activity. The game of darts is normally played with a set of three darts, which are intended to be thrown against a target, and scoring is achieved from the placement of the thrown darts on the target. A very proficient player can throw a number of darts into an area as little as one-quarter of an inch square, which is the type of accuracy required to obtain the highest scores. The small target area in which the throws are desired to be placed creates a problem to the player throwing darts.
From its early origins in the middle ages when English bowmen threw shortened versions of their arrows at wine casks, the game of darts has had a special allure to all who try it. Although the game originated in Britain and virtually every pub now has a dart board, darts are played throughout the world by millions of people from all walks of life--from doctors and lawyers to housewives and construction workers.
It is a game of skill and concentration and does not require physical strength or unusual coordination. Anyone can be develop the throwing skills to become proficient with practice and by mastering basic principles.
The earliest dart boards were made from elm logs. Some are still used today, but they must be soaked daily. Boards of compressed paper or composition are inexpensive and suitable for occasional use. However, a bristle dart board assembled from millions of fibers bound together heals itself after each thrown dart, and withstands constant use in tournament competition or the home recreation room.
The board is hung on the wall so that the center of the bullseye is exactly 5 feet 8 inches from the floor. The throwing line or hockey is 7 feet 9 1/4 inches from the board. The board is divided into pie shaped segments numbered 1 through 20 and the center bull. There are also two narrow rings, the outer ring counting for double the indicated number for that segment, and the inner ring counting for triple the indicated score. The bullseye area counts for 25, with the inner bull counting as a double or 50.
It is understood that a beginner at this game will be hard pressed to throw a dart into a particular area to score points because the smaller the area hit by the dart, the greater the number of points scored which is the object of the game. In order to become proficient at dart throwing, one must practice. Normally, such practice will comprise repeated attempts to place the thrown darts in the double, triple or bullseye sections of the dart board within will give a beginner or experienced person practice in areas of the board in which he wants to become more proficient at hitting.
Although there are various target structures which have been developed to address or create other games, there has not been developed a target structure for dart boards which allows the users to more effectively practice throwing and improves the ability to focus on particular areas of the dart board. Similarly, there are not know any game apparatus for use with a dart board, which allow the dart board to be used to play a variety of different games.